The Call of Duty machine has churned out an endless line of DLC content packs ever since they discovered that gamers will pay for them. Each year, the newest Call of Duty game has about five DLC packs. With this level of standardization, how can they hope to make anything innovative? Honestly, they can’t. Not being innovative doesn’t matter as long as what is released is fun. And is Treyarch’s new map pack fun? Absolutely!

Let’s get something out of the way immediately. Uprising doesn’t change Call of Duty’s control scheme, graphical capabilities, or sound. It’s not worth complaining about. The game already functions amazingly well. With that out of the way we can move on to the good stuff.

So what did we pay 15 bucks for? Content, pure and simple. In this map pack you will find four all-new maps: Magma, Studio, Encore, and Vertigo. There’s also a new zombie experience called Mob of the Dead.

The new multiplayer maps play exactly like the previous releases. What makes these maps different and fresh is the integration of the environments into gameplay. Read on and you’ll understand what I mean.

Magma is set in a Japanese village at the base of a volcano. Clearly this village didn’t have a city planner. The strange events that led to having an epic fire fight over streets flowing red with lava doesn’t interest me. What matters is that it’s happening, and it’s awesome.

The lava doesn’t flow freely throughout Magma, but it does add an environmental hazard that must be carefully skirted. The ruined landscape also forces players into positions that restrict their movement options. Normally a village or city environment would allow for unrestricted movement, letting you switch tactically between the open streets and covered buildings. In Magma, many of the paths have been compromised, blocking you from that perfect bit of cover. This creates a unique and fun experience.

Encore is set in an amphitheater following a concert in London. It consists of a series of walkways circling a central stage. This stage can be used as a platform to dominate the map from all directions if properly executed. The action can extend into the walkways too. The walled off concession areas make for great defendable positions. Even without a natural hazard, Encore entertains with a unique level design that encourages frantic firefights.

Vertigo feels like the most traditional of the Uprising additions. It contains the standard CoD map structure and gameplay while adding the possibility of plummeting to your death. Vertigo’s architecture consists of open areas enclosing a small, central, indoor structure. This map is an amalgamation of old-school designs mixed with Uprising’s fetish for flashy environments.